The mental battle is often discussed in running, but when you are raising money for a society, such as the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, there is also an emotional component.
After last Saturday’s practice we had Connection to the Cause. It was a mid-season event that allowed us to meet many of our honored teammates that are in remission or battling blood cancer.
It was definitely an emotional experience, but it was amazing to hear just how much of an impact the Team in Training program has on the lives of cancer patients.
The cost of hospital care is outrageous. Parking at a NYC hospital alone is $35 a day. Imagine having two check-ups a week after a bone marrow transplant, as if just getting to the hospital in NYC traffic wasn’t enough!
However, I am happy to say that one of our honored teammates explained that after two years of ineffective chemo, her only option was a bone marrow transplant. Not only is she happy and healthy after years of struggling, but the LLS paid for her entire 27 day hospital stay1
We also met Aiden! One of my honored teammates was diagnosed at age 3 and now at age 6 is 6 months in remission! He stood on stage and said, “My name is Aiden. I had cancer once.”
It was adorable!
One thing I learned is that cancer can occur very unexpectedly. Gretchen was 20 when she was diagnosed, and had no idea she was sick prior to a blood test. Dave, another honored teammate, joked that he knew he had cancer when he no longer had to wait to see the doctor. The doctor was waiting for him!
While obviously it was an emotional day, it was wonderful.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Friday, August 10, 2007
A Message from Katie Davis--my five year old honored teammate!
Dear Nike Runners & Walkers,
I wanted to send you a word of thanks and encouragement as you get in to your
loooooooooooooooong runs! I am so excited to be your honored teammate. Let’s see,
since I last talked to you, I turned 5 on July 1st, I had my quarterly checkup and learned I
was still in remission. I have to continue daily chemotherapy but my doctor said he
thinks it will be okay for me to go back to school in the fall! I can’t wait, I would have
been really sad to miss out on kindergarten. This summer I have been learning how to
swim (my twin Olivia got to learn last year but I was way too sick). Today, I lost my first
tooth! I can’t wait to see what’s under my pillow tomorrow morning!
All of these things are possible because of people like you, who are working so hard to
raise money to help find treatments and cures for leukemia. If it wasn’t for all the
progress that has been made, I wouldn’t have the chance to experience any of these
normal “kid” things because I wouldn’t have had the chance to beat this. You’ve given
me the gift of life and the ability to be a pretty healthy 5 year old and for that I can’t
thank you enough! I am so proud that you are a member of my team and I hope that
thinking of me helps to motivate you while you work so hard to get ready for Nike. It’s
going to be great, believe me… I know, this is my second year! My big sister Emma
even crossed the finish line last year with the team – and my whole family can’t wait to
cheer you all the way to the end!
I drew you a picture you can look at whenever you need to be reminded how much I love
and appreciate you for helping kids like me.
Love,
Kate Davis
I wanted to send you a word of thanks and encouragement as you get in to your
loooooooooooooooong runs! I am so excited to be your honored teammate. Let’s see,
since I last talked to you, I turned 5 on July 1st, I had my quarterly checkup and learned I
was still in remission. I have to continue daily chemotherapy but my doctor said he
thinks it will be okay for me to go back to school in the fall! I can’t wait, I would have
been really sad to miss out on kindergarten. This summer I have been learning how to
swim (my twin Olivia got to learn last year but I was way too sick). Today, I lost my first
tooth! I can’t wait to see what’s under my pillow tomorrow morning!
All of these things are possible because of people like you, who are working so hard to
raise money to help find treatments and cures for leukemia. If it wasn’t for all the
progress that has been made, I wouldn’t have the chance to experience any of these
normal “kid” things because I wouldn’t have had the chance to beat this. You’ve given
me the gift of life and the ability to be a pretty healthy 5 year old and for that I can’t
thank you enough! I am so proud that you are a member of my team and I hope that
thinking of me helps to motivate you while you work so hard to get ready for Nike. It’s
going to be great, believe me… I know, this is my second year! My big sister Emma
even crossed the finish line last year with the team – and my whole family can’t wait to
cheer you all the way to the end!
I drew you a picture you can look at whenever you need to be reminded how much I love
and appreciate you for helping kids like me.
Love,
Kate Davis
The magic of mission moments
Saturday was my first long run in 3 weeks! So I was pretty nervous to see how my body would take it. My previous long run had been 8 miles, so I was hoping I would find it within me to do 9 miles.
So at 8 am we stood on the terrace, and Coach Ramon pumped us up. In fact, he asked that we run two miles longer than our previous long run. Apparently by now we should have a good base to our running, and tacking on an extra mile shouldn't affect us physically...just mentally.
While getting in a mental mindset for running can be difficult, our mission moment that morning was all it took!
I have had a hard time relating the mission moments in this blog because they are so powerful. However, one of our honored teammates, Dave, just ran the 1/2 marathon only months after a second round of chemo. His grandfather died of blood cancer, his mother battled it and won, and he is still fighting. But I have seen him at every practice!
His mother was in from Florida to see her son run. She is a very small woman, so she stood on the park bench to discuss how much Team in Training meant to her. She said that every year, as a girl, she would watch the Boston Marathon with her father. It was a family tradition and one of the few chances she had to bond with her Dad. When her father died of cancer, her mother really didn't allow her children to show emotion.
It wasn't until the next Boston Marathon that Dave's mom truly had the opportunity to grieve. Running and crying now go hand in hand, she said.
So she thanked us and told us she loved us and loved what we were doing.
While it is hard to really impart how touching her speech was, I can tell you there wasn't a dry eye in the park.
As we all tried to get ourselves together, Coach Ramon jumped on the bench and said, "after that you all should add 5 miles to your run!"
So off we went.
I ran with two other girls. I planned on running the first full loop (6 miles) with them, and then doing the lower 4 mile loop, if I could. We slowly made it around once, and I knew that if I went off alone, I might not make it. So I decide to do the upper 5 mile loop with them, leaving them when we got back to the terrace. I was actually fine, my legs started to get a little sore around mile 9, but I made it to mile 9 (OMG) and kept going.
By the time I had made it 11 miles, I figured that doing 1 more mile to complete the second loop was not going to kill me.
So I actually ran 12 miles! I am hoping it wasn't a fluke, but at this point I can hardly wait for the Queens half marathon next month!
So at 8 am we stood on the terrace, and Coach Ramon pumped us up. In fact, he asked that we run two miles longer than our previous long run. Apparently by now we should have a good base to our running, and tacking on an extra mile shouldn't affect us physically...just mentally.
While getting in a mental mindset for running can be difficult, our mission moment that morning was all it took!
I have had a hard time relating the mission moments in this blog because they are so powerful. However, one of our honored teammates, Dave, just ran the 1/2 marathon only months after a second round of chemo. His grandfather died of blood cancer, his mother battled it and won, and he is still fighting. But I have seen him at every practice!
His mother was in from Florida to see her son run. She is a very small woman, so she stood on the park bench to discuss how much Team in Training meant to her. She said that every year, as a girl, she would watch the Boston Marathon with her father. It was a family tradition and one of the few chances she had to bond with her Dad. When her father died of cancer, her mother really didn't allow her children to show emotion.
It wasn't until the next Boston Marathon that Dave's mom truly had the opportunity to grieve. Running and crying now go hand in hand, she said.
So she thanked us and told us she loved us and loved what we were doing.
While it is hard to really impart how touching her speech was, I can tell you there wasn't a dry eye in the park.
As we all tried to get ourselves together, Coach Ramon jumped on the bench and said, "after that you all should add 5 miles to your run!"
So off we went.
I ran with two other girls. I planned on running the first full loop (6 miles) with them, and then doing the lower 4 mile loop, if I could. We slowly made it around once, and I knew that if I went off alone, I might not make it. So I decide to do the upper 5 mile loop with them, leaving them when we got back to the terrace. I was actually fine, my legs started to get a little sore around mile 9, but I made it to mile 9 (OMG) and kept going.
By the time I had made it 11 miles, I figured that doing 1 more mile to complete the second loop was not going to kill me.
So I actually ran 12 miles! I am hoping it wasn't a fluke, but at this point I can hardly wait for the Queens half marathon next month!
Shaking in my sneakers
So my first practice back, I was just as nervous as my first. After missing seven practices, I had no idea how I would perform. I stressed about the upcoming hill workout until practice finally started at 6:35. It was a hill workout. The description was clear cut, run up and down Cat Hill until the coaches tell you that you can stop.
Okay, actually I was fine. I enjoyed running from the Boat House to Cleopatra’s Needle and back, over and over. But I was more than happy to stop on cue.
Okay, actually I was fine. I enjoyed running from the Boat House to Cleopatra’s Needle and back, over and over. But I was more than happy to stop on cue.
Back from 2 weeks of bliss
Clearly I didn’t have time to blog while I was in Europe. In fact, I only checked my e-mail twice in the entire two and half weeks! This was quite a change considering I usually check my e-mail twice before 9am.
However, I did manage to run for 30-45 minutes about 4 or 5 times a week while I was away. I have to say the scenery was quite beautiful. In Germany, I ran along the shore of Lake Constance, through lush flower bushes and bountiful orchards. The air was cool and fresh at night, and the sleepy town of Vasserburg was completely safe to run late at night. In fact, one night I was running at around 10:30, it was almost pitch black, but up ahead I saw a little bon fire. As I approached I realized there was about 30 5 and 6 year old kids sitting around it. Then as if they sensed me approaching, then all rose and started sprinting down the street ahead of me with two adults. I have no idea where they ended up or why these little wood nymphs were up so late, but they were sure fast!
In Naples, I ran along the sea from port to port. It was stunning to see all the huge yachts in the water. The city, much like New York, was full of action late into the night, so I had plenty to take in as I ran with the lighted hills of the city embracing me like a jovial, happy to be alive, hug.
However, I did manage to run for 30-45 minutes about 4 or 5 times a week while I was away. I have to say the scenery was quite beautiful. In Germany, I ran along the shore of Lake Constance, through lush flower bushes and bountiful orchards. The air was cool and fresh at night, and the sleepy town of Vasserburg was completely safe to run late at night. In fact, one night I was running at around 10:30, it was almost pitch black, but up ahead I saw a little bon fire. As I approached I realized there was about 30 5 and 6 year old kids sitting around it. Then as if they sensed me approaching, then all rose and started sprinting down the street ahead of me with two adults. I have no idea where they ended up or why these little wood nymphs were up so late, but they were sure fast!
In Naples, I ran along the sea from port to port. It was stunning to see all the huge yachts in the water. The city, much like New York, was full of action late into the night, so I had plenty to take in as I ran with the lighted hills of the city embracing me like a jovial, happy to be alive, hug.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Detour #2!
I will soon be leaving the country to spend two weeks in Italy. So I can’t promise I will be blogging…or running. But I will try! I am very nervous to miss 3 longs runs. However, my coach assured me that as long as I run 40 minutes 3 times a week, I should be able to maintain my current fitness level. Coincidentally, the team is doing a Naples 10K in place of a long run this weekend, and I will actually be in Naples! So I will try to do my run there, as if with the team. This morning I got up early to pack and do my last long run. I ran by my favorite Astoria sites: down to the Socrates Sculpture Park and then over to Astoria Park, past the track and tennis courts,
and along the water to soak in my last views of the skyline for a while, and finally around my favorite part of the park, the mammoth Astoria Pool, a public works project from the depression era before heading home to complete my 6.75 mile run. 
Bye New York, I’ll be back soon!
Pictures: Top left, Scultpture Park, Top Right, Astoria Park, Center, Astoria Park Track, Bottom Left, Astoria Pool, Bottom Right, View from Sculpture Park. Detour
So on Wednesday I was unbelievable excited about practice. I had been waiting to go since the moment I got the e-mail about the workout. Our Coach was going to lead us through undiscovered Central Park. Waterfalls, lakes and beautiful views were professed scenic highlights. Let’s face it, if waterfalls are involved, I am in. Not to mention we were going to intersperse running with squats and lunges! I heart interval training!
So I am walking out the door to practice and it starts raining. I grabbed an umbrella and started out toward the subway, but the after four straight days of 95 degree weather and relentless humidity, the heat steak seemed to be breaking. The sky started getting really dark, and I heard a distinct clap of thunder in the distance. (After lifeguarding for 8 years, I can hear thunder a good 30 miles away—out of the pool!) So I took a detour to the gym instead. I was pretty sad, but as I looked out at the street I saw the rain level going from “annoying and I really would like to have an umbrella” to “torrential downpour, hydroplaning ahead!”
About half way through my 4.5 miles the TV monitors lost signal, so much for I love the 90’s. But I kept going and finished my run in a respectable 42 minutes, and even took a power dance class to round out my workout.
So I am walking out the door to practice and it starts raining. I grabbed an umbrella and started out toward the subway, but the after four straight days of 95 degree weather and relentless humidity, the heat steak seemed to be breaking. The sky started getting really dark, and I heard a distinct clap of thunder in the distance. (After lifeguarding for 8 years, I can hear thunder a good 30 miles away—out of the pool!) So I took a detour to the gym instead. I was pretty sad, but as I looked out at the street I saw the rain level going from “annoying and I really would like to have an umbrella” to “torrential downpour, hydroplaning ahead!”
About half way through my 4.5 miles the TV monitors lost signal, so much for I love the 90’s. But I kept going and finished my run in a respectable 42 minutes, and even took a power dance class to round out my workout.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
